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Retour de King (Aredit comic)/plot
The main difference between the adaptation and the original is how the story develops after Copper, Trapper and Cub find Gimlet. The story comes to a conclusion much more quickly and suddenly than in the original. The section headings below do not occur in the comic strip. They are here merely to make for easier reading and to facilitate comparison with the original story. The corresponding chapter headings of the original are in brackets. At the Ritz and Lorrington (Chapter I) The failed rendezvous at the Ritz is faithfully depicted, right down to Copper's reluctance to enter the hotel. But Copper doesn't ask for beer. The waiter offersbeer, in fact. Cub orders champagne for all. There is no cloakroom scene with Shorty Hughes. The unfriendly butler is depicted. George Vass is also present and offers the same information as in the original but here he has not been instructed to receive Gimlet at the station. His name is not given nor is he mentioned as an ex-soldier. Up to Scotland (Chapters II-IV) The three friends depart Euston for Aberdeen as in the original but instead of arriving at Tomnarrow-on-Spey, arrive at Auchrory, which has its own railway station. They ask directions for Carglas Manor. As in the original, the station master tells them Gimlet had asked for directions and had walked on but had not come back. They get to the inn but the inn name Glencarglas Arms is not mentioned. It is Trapper and not Cub who observes that the fisherman (Billy Smith) is a fake. Cub does discover the match stalk from the Ritz as in the original. They find Gimlet down the mine shaft, but it is Trapper and not Copper who goes down to retrieve him. Trapper finds the deerstalker's hut like in the original and they carry Gimlet there. It is only here, after Gimlet recovers consciousness that Copper recalls where he had seen Smith and the innkeeper before. He recognises the innkeeper as Burke (the cover name McTaggart is not mentioned) and Smith is Forsyth. Auchrory (Chapters V-VII) In the morning, it is Trapper who goes out. He is hunting for food when he hears a car. It is he and not Cub who spots three men in the car, one of them tosses a bomb into the mine shaft. Cub goes down to the post office and manages to get information from the postmistress in much the same way as described in the original. The details of the telegram, his unfortunate encounter with Smith are all the same. Smith drives up to Cub on the road and challenges him. The way Cub disposes of Smith here is different. He makes a lightning strike to knock the pistol out of Smith's hand and then delivers a punch which floors him. Cub then runs away. Smith, gets up from the ground, picks up his gun and shoots and misses. Copper goes in search of Cub and finds the cartridge case. He goes on to confront Smith and Burke. It is Slim Delano and not Larry who comes in. Copper is momentarily distracted by the newcomer and turns. It is Burke who strikes Copper down. Burke reminds Slim to use his cover name Taggart. This is the first time we hear the cover name. Strathcarglas Lodge (Chapter VIII-end) The rest of the story diverges from the original significantly. Cub stumbles upon Carglas Manor (that's what the Lodge is called in the adaptation). There is no pony train arriving. Instead he finds a room in one of the outbuildings filled with sacks of barley. He enters the lodge by the unlocked back door but ends up in the living room, not the kitchen. Slim and his gang are arriving with Copper so Cub hides on top of the dresser in the same way as in the original. The gang starts threatening Copper and so Cub shoots out the light. But he takes a more active role than in the original: he jumps down from the dresser and shouts, "Arrivez, les gars!! On les tient!!!" The gang flees, thinking they have fallen into a trap. Forsyth tries to escape through the window but Copper, with his hands still bound, delivers a header and knocks him to the floor. Slim drives off in the car, abandoning Burke who chases after him on foot. Meanwhile, Gimlet and Trapper have left a note in the hut and gone off to search for Copper and Cub. Trapper finds Cub's trail and they follow. They see Slim's car driving away, going too fast. Walking further on, they encounter Burke. The innleeper tries to run away from them but Trapper shoots an arrow which hits him in the behind. They capture Burke and bring him to the lodge to find Copper and Cub who have tied up Forsyth. Gimlet sends Cub to the post office to wire the police and notify them of the capture of Burke and Forsyth. Meanwhile Gimlet and Copper explore the outbuildings and find a whisky distillery in one of the cellars. Cub comes back without going to the postoffice. He has discovered Slim's car--it has plunged down a ravine in the river. They explore the wreckage but can't find the body. Days later, Gimlet and his team celebrate the end of the saga at the Lodge. Copper is glad that Burke, Forsyth and Singer have been put away. But Gimlet is not so sure it is all over. Slim's body has not been found. The car in the ravine might have been a ruse. Category:Plot summaries (derivative works)